Best Undereye Concealer: The Search is On

I have long sung the praises of Clinique Airbrush Concealer. I first noticed it on one of Lisa Eldridge’s videos, and immediately bought it. I figured it had to be the best, I mean, Miss Eldridge can do no wrong, right? I’ve used it for years, and I love it, I really do…it’s just that I was relatively well rested during those few years and now I’m…not. You guys, I look like a mess. (I CURSE YOU, INSOMNIA.)

While the Clinique concealer has been a loyal, trusty companion, it’s time to pull out the big guns for the time being. So, I’ve been doing some research (surprise, surprise) on some bestsellers and also put a call out on the Whoorl Facebook page last week. (We like to talk about makeup. Lots.)

Here’s what I’ve found so far.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer, $33 – A front runner from the Facebook convo, but I noticed many negative reviews on Sephora. What gives? Here are some comments from my FB lady friends:

“In exhaustive research on dark circle concealing, most people recommend either Laura Mercier or Bobbi Brown’s concealer kit, which I really like and get at Sephora.”

“Two words. Bobbie Brown.”

“I love Bobbi Brown.”

“I have pretty dark circles so I use the corrector first and layer the creamy concealer on top. I set my whole face with her powder so just use that on my under eye area too. I say “set my whole face” like I wear makeup but most days lately I’m lucky if I get concealer on. Her BB cream if fantastic though too.”

“I also use Bobbi Brown, but not the kit. I use the corrector and then the concealer and then I set it withe Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder…”

NARS Concealer, $28 – I’m a NARS junkie, so I am hopeful this concealer could be great. I like that it’s a liquid – obviously easy to blend. Some comments:

“NARS has a stellar one.”

“I’m a huge fan of the NARS concealer. I am pretty hopeless when it comes to applying makeup and it’s so easy to use.”

“I use a combo of Benefit products: Stay Don’t Stray and Boing. (I use) Fingers all the way.” (ME TOO. Have no time for concealer brushes!)

“I love Benefit’s “Erase Paste”, it can be a bit dry, but I put it on over my foundation and then blend it out and it works great. I’ve got light skin with olive tones but some wicked undereye circles and have found it to be the very best at covering. And a little goes a long way.”

“Another vote for benefit’s erase paste. i have fair skin and dark circles–works really well for me and i love the texture. very easy to blend with your finger, i never use the spatula provided, total PITA.”

Amazing Concealer, $42 – I used this concealer back in the day when there were only a few shades. Goodness, this stuff is POTENT, but it really does the job. My only beef was that the color didn’t match well, however, now that they’ve introduced tons of new shades to the line, could this be the one for me?

Josie Maran Creamy Concealer Crayon, $20 – Now, no one mentioned this new product, but I have high hopes for this one. First off, I love Josie Maran, and secondly, a concealer pencil? COULD LIFE GET ANY EASIER?! Just draw right over those dark circles! (Please let this one be the one please let this one be the one.)

“I use the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and love it. It is very easily blendable, doesn’t dry, and I like that I can adjust the colour to the season (and how much sun I’ve had). That said, I use mine more to cover my mild rosacea redness than dark undereye circles.”

“I used Secret Concealer for years, but it became too dry. I was constantly blending it with eye cream.”

“LOVE this concealer. love that you can blend the two colors to make it just right for either under eye or blemish concealing. I always use my finger too, because i feel like the warmth of my skin makes the concealer a better consistency.”

“I used to love secret concealer but I found it to cake and dry some.”

“I feel like LM secret camo is more for blemishes and kind of dry.”

“I will say I do NOT like Secret Camouflage, and do not find it easy to blend especially under the eyes. If you like Laura Mercier, they have an under eye concealer, called Under Eye Perfector.”

YSL Touche Eclat, $40 – I’ve wanted to try this for years, but always wondered if the formula was similar to Clinique since they are both in click applicators. Mixed reviews as an undereye concealer.

“I used to love secret concealer but I found it to cake and dry some. Now I’m loving this – I put on with brush and then wait a few min before I blend with my fingers. Best I have found and my dark circles are epic.”

“The YSL Touche Eclat is a fantastic highlighter, but is not actually a concealer, so sadly it won’t help any more than your Clinique airbrush (my personal favorite light-reflective concealer).”

“M.A.C. Select Cover Up is the only thing that can hide my raccoon eyes. It’s heavier, and dries quickly so you have to work fast but I love it. And I only use my fingers.”

“I’ve tried many but I always come back to MAC Select Cover Up. It’s creamy, blendable and stays on stubbornly.”

Cle de Peau Concealer, $70 – One of my best friends swears by this, and she’s usually right on when it comes to skincare and makeup. Hey, I’ll pay the price tag for results! (Although, SEVENTY DOLLARS?)

“Cle de Peau…hands down the best! Yes, it is expensive BUT it lasts forever!!!”

“Yep, definitely Cle de Peau.”

“If you have an extra arm and leg to spend, you won’t be disappointed with Cle de Peau.”

jen

I use the Clinique (thanks to you, who introduced to me La Eldridge!) pretty religiously, but really also like Benefit’s Boing, if that helps at all. My circles are EPIC and nothing really totally hides them, but those two (not used together!) get me at least looking human. Touche Eclat indeed only highlighted my circles back in the day when I used it. One of my BFs is the beauty director at a big, glossy women’s mag and she says Cle de Peau really is worth the money – it’s what she uses.

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 11:28 am

I used Boing a bit this morning and was reminded how much I like it! It does a good job covering for sure, and I want to pull the trigger on the CdP but man, 70 bucks!

Agreed– It’s the one I’ve never tried. I honestly don’t care how it preforms, it’s more than I’m willing to spend on a concealer!

karly

August 20, 2013 at 11:36 am

Boots at Target has a concealer that is really similar to the cle de peau. It’s not too expensive, and i’d say it’s worth the money. I like it quite a bit, but the color I have is a little too light right now so I haven’t used it in a couple of months.

Kyla

August 19, 2013 at 11:46 am

At 32 I suddenly developed dark undereye shadows. I splurged on Cle de Peau. It’s lasted me 2 years and I used it nearly daily. I also use it around my nose where I have broken cappilaries. I always use a good eye cream first, which makes it easier to blend without tugging the skin. It lays on the skin beautifully, covers and never creases on me. Good luck!!

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 12:01 pm

Let me ask you this…do you need to apply eye cream first for the product to blend easily? I don’t want to add another step to my super fast routine.

kyla

August 19, 2013 at 12:24 pm

I have used it without eye cream and while it worked ok, it definitely works better with cream underneath. The CdP lady actually recommended it. Having said that, I do have dry skin, and I’ve never used a concealer that I didn’t need eye cream first. I don’t let the cream sink in or anything. I literally slap it under my eyes and follow with concealer immediately. Around my nose I don’t bother with anything underneath, I just rub it in. I’m not great with the whole patting thing.

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Thank you!

debby

August 19, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Oh I LOVE my Josie Maran Creamy Concealer Crayon. A+.

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 1:30 pm

Bought one today! Will report back.

Liz

August 19, 2013 at 12:32 pm

I’d add Benefit Fake Up to your list to try. I think it is even better than Boing – hydrating, and it doesn’t budge. Love it more than Bobbi Brown’s and Laura Mercier’s too.

Anna

August 19, 2013 at 12:47 pm

Apologies for the long comment – I could go on and on about concealers!
I have got pretty terrible baggage under my eyes…both the dark discoloration as well as the physical dented in half circle. ICK!
So I’ve gone through my fair share.

– Bobbi Brown was a let down. It took a lot of work to blend both the corrector and concealer and overall felt too heavy and creasy.
– I used Boi-ing years ago and was never blown away. Felt a bit dry and the color was off.
– You’re right about Clinique Airbrush! I caught onto it from Lisa’s videos as well and love it for those days when you’re feeling very well-rested, but it often doesn’t do the job when you need more coverage.
– Kat Von D was good if you’re looking for a highly-pigmented full coverage liquid . It didn’t give any kind of brightening effect though, which was the overall turn-off. It seemed a bit dull and was not at all light-reflective.

I’m currently using MAC Pro-Longwear concealer on spots, but hear it works very well for undereyes. This stuff lasts forever! If you’re looking for something that just will.not.budge. this is it.
On the lower-end, I highly recommend Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind! I use the Light color (for olive undertones) with that inverted triangle trick and the brightening effect is wonderful, while still having enough pigment to cover the dark circles! It never looks cakey or obvious so I’m quite pleased. The only con is its sponge tip applicator. It doesn’t seem to be too hygienic, but for how well this stuff works I’m willing to look past it!

Good luck with your search! Please let us know what you ultimately settle on.

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 1:39 pm

Oh, I love all this info. Thank you! (And I’m a huge fan of the inverted triangle.) Going to pick up some Maybelline for certain – if I could find a great drugstore concealer, I’d be in heaven!

Breeza

August 19, 2013 at 1:23 pm

I’ve used the stick Nars and the new creamy one and the new one is much, much better. The stick one just doesn’t work very well in my opinion. I’ve tried the Sephora brand concealer that looks like YSL’s, but didn’t think it provided long-lasting coverage. I feel your pain! Good luck!

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 1:41 pm

Okay, ladies. Picked up the NARS radiant creamy concealer and the Josie Maran concealer crayon. Will report back soon. Might check out a few more…

Lisak

August 19, 2013 at 1:48 pm

Wow. I don’t know how you all spend the big bucks on department store products. Way too spendy for me. Anyone want to comment on drug store products? I do like the Maybelline product mentioned above.

I’m all about splurging where you need to and saving where you can, and for me concealer is a splurge item. I have never found a drugstore one that can meet my demands for my under eye area. However, I use Maybelline Super Stay on blemishes and it is AMAZING! It blends out well and will actually truly stay put even on an oily spot.

Andria

August 19, 2013 at 2:01 pm

I, too, suffer from insomnia.
I use Laura Mercier mauve/rose under eye corrector to counteract the blue veins/circles, blend that in… and then use Bobbi Brown’s foundation stick on top.

Works like a charm.

Kaitie Tee

August 19, 2013 at 2:02 pm

I’m a two-stepper on days when I’m not well rested. I use the Pixi Brightening Peach corrector on my darkness (from what I can tell it’s nearly identical to Erase Paste). I smear it on with my finger and then blend at the edges by lightly tapping with my ring finger. Then I cover all the undereye with my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer. Again – just using my finger, no brushes. The peach Pixi counterbalances the purple undereye circles and the Bobbi Brown is just an awesome concealer.

But on days when my darkness is less pronounced I’m still rocking the Clinique Airbrush Concealer – which I started using on your recommendation years ago. I’m excited to see if you find something else you love.

Courtney

August 19, 2013 at 2:04 pm

I love the NARS radiant undereye concealer. it’s quite good coverage. i have bobbi brown creamy concealer, but it does tend to crease. MAC’s prolongwear concealer is very good. very good coverage, just a little goes a long way.

Ok– We are in the exact same boat! I picked up airbrush a while ago fro the same reason (Lisa is my makeup oracle), and loved, loved, loved it. What I adore most is that I haven’t really had any “OMG you can SEE my concealer!!” moments with it. Buuuut, there are also days when it doesn’t get the job done and I have “OMG I look like death” moments. Here’s my full history:

+ I’ve recently tried Tarte, but it’s heavy and unless I really am on my A application game you can see it.

+ In the past I was quite happy with Benefit erase paste, but it didn’t seem to have staying power. My cirlces would be back by 6PM.

+I tried Laura Mercie and had the same complaint you worry about… it was too stiff. A nightmare to apply, and as a result I had a lot of those days where you blend out TOO much and end up looking like you both have concealer on AND have under eye circles (worst of both worlds… No thanks!)

(Sidenote: I know people love Bobby Brown, but I have been VERY unhappy with every one of their products I’ve ever owned… Skin foundation looked oily on me, their BB broke me out, their last nude eye pallet was terribly pigmented and chalky, and their lip glosses are super sticky… Seriously, what do people like about them?! Which products are good? Also, what is wrong with my brain that I keep buying more BB even though I’ve hated every product of theirs I’ve ever owned?!)

I’ve just neared the end of my latest tube of Airbrush and have a desire to explore my options so I will be following your hunt closely :) I’m going to make due with one of my old castoffs until the search is complete! I have my fingers crossed for the Josie Maron… A concealer pencil sounds like heaven to me too!

My wedding makeup artist told me to use Dior Skin Nude. She said it had the highest pigment ratio of any of the concealers on the market. I got a tube and totally loved it. It covered AND blended. I didn’t re-buy it simply because I wanted to try Airbrush on Lisa’s rec. Now that I think about it… I may simply go back to that!

whoorl

August 19, 2013 at 3:12 pm

Oooh, added to the list!

Pamela

August 19, 2013 at 3:44 pm

I love when you get obsessed like this. It’s like a second me has been dispatched, except that you seem to have more cash. ;) Keep us posted! By the way, I’m working my way through the reading list on the blog post you wrote about books (with suggestions from readers). Some great reads on there! I’ve read The Paris Wife, Night Circus, The Rules of Civility and The Forgotten Garden. I’d love to read a follow-up if you are reading in your sleepless nights.

Me and one of my best girlfriends have to keep secret “hidden” pinboards that can’t be publicly searched on Pinterest because, honestly, the level of obsession we reach over things like this is publicly shameful :p

Shopmomma

August 19, 2013 at 6:24 pm

Seriously, I would die if Loreal stopped making their Visible Lift Serum Abdolute concealer. I have tried most of these on your list, except the two priciest, and this is hands down, my favorite ever. Great click and brush application, SPF, fantastic coverage and formula. Try it! (Although I am very intrigued with your findings on the Josie Maran stick. I use all her face stuff and love it!) I’ll wait for your test drive.

Mary

August 21, 2013 at 2:32 pm

I have to 2nd Shopmomma in that I LOVE the Loreal Visible Lift click pen concealer. I have Boing, Touche Eclat, Laura Mercier single pot concealer, Erase Paste, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer, Clinque Air Brush concealer (Yes, I’m obsessed with concealer also). I don’t have dark circles but a little darkness and DRYNESS so it’s so hard to get coverage without caking and creasing. I like the YSL but it’s pricey, I like Benefit Boing and the Laura Mercier pots of concealer but if I don’t put on enough eye cream, it will look cakey and crepey. I didn’t like the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (didn’t like the sponge applicator and the consistency was just weird to me). Amazing concealer (which you’ve used before), is highly pigmented but has to be applied carefully to avoid creasing. I really like the click pen style of the Clinique, YSL, and Loreal Visible Lift when doing the inverted triangle. I find that the inverted triangle method doesn’t work as well with the heavier concealers. They are just way too heavy to put on that much skin area (at least for me they are). So for my purposes and price, the click pen Loreal Visible Lift has worked really well. I just bought my 2nd one yesterday!! Good luck with your search.

My vote goes for the BB duo with Stay don’t Stray underneath. I’ve been using it for years but I’m dying to try CDP.

MAC Select Cover Up was good but I think products meant to be layered have better staying power (this is probably all in my head).

I was not pleased at all with YSL Touche Clat, I thought it went on a little chalky. Laura Mercier also went on a bit dry but I have dry skin so maybe I didn’t moisturize enough before hand.

Can’t wait to see what you like best!

Tess

August 19, 2013 at 11:40 pm

As a med student, I am no stranger to sleepless nights. Thus, I have extensively researched this.

-Bobbi Brown: good color range, creases galore. I wanted to love it…
-Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage: ACK. I loathe this product. I am so glad it works for so many people, but man have I tried. Dry, difficult to blend, inconsistent cover. And yet, I tried again. No dice for me. Just seriously I am like LM SC dumb over here.
-Also loathe the Benefit concealers. Like, all of them. Across the board. Additionally, none of their shades are light enough for me. sadtrombone.com
-NARS radiant: OH MAN did I want to love this- I am the most porcelain of porcelain skin tones and their range of colors is just not to be beat. It was strangely drying/crepey on me (an accomplishment considering I just turned 30 a month ago), and required too much muss and fuss to apply it in a way that was lasting and natural. If you find success with it, I would love to hear how! (Honestly, I like the original NARS stick way better than the radiant even for undereye. Perhaps I am an oil slick and need something a smidge drier than the Radiant.)
-Amazing Concealer: great, full, very full coverage. Sometimes would be sort of cakey, but overall pretty good. Possibly my second choice.

I could go on, but will stop myself. The winner, hands down for me is Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch. I have bought a tube of that each year for like 5 years now. Everytime I try something new, it ends up just getting usurped once again by my old fave. It’s really liquidy, which sounds not good, but it’s also really pigmented. It never creases undereye. AND the best part to me is that I can use it for blemishes too, which is not true of many undereye concealers. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff. It wears pretty well, too – I mean no makeup lasts through a 28 hour shift, but this gets pretty close to 18 hours on me.

Alllll that said, I am really curious about the Josie Maran pencil, and Urban Decay also has one. Looking forward to your reviews!

Kristiina

August 20, 2013 at 4:34 am

Yay, makeup talk! :) I have the purple/blue circles under my eyes (damn you, allergies). The YSL highlighter is no good for covering these babies..i’ve used something from Clinique with decent results (can’t remember what). I tried the Bobbi Brown concealer/corrector thru QVC and have never looked back. I have to use the corrector first…no way around it. And light, thin layers are the key to making it not cakey. Her videos are helpful, but I didn’t get it until I saw her demo it on QVC. Also–if you use too much eye cream it doesn’t work as well…I look 10 years younger in my pics–no lie.

Mallory

August 20, 2013 at 6:31 am

OK, I already commented on Facebook (I’m the T. Le Clerc girl) but I have one more, since you said you don’t like using eye cream. Over the summer I’ve been using Perricone’s No Concealer Concealer and have been very happy. What I particularly like about the T. Le Clerc is that it has a yellow tone to counteract the purple of my circles against my very pale skin; I don’t need that as much, when I have just a touch more color during the summer, and the Perricone is basically eye cream (with SPF) and concealer in one so perfect for my summertime needs.

SFDC

August 20, 2013 at 8:55 am

I’ve had good luck with the Laura Mercier version in the little pot. Never seemed dry to me!

PS- FWIW: have heard from my dermatologist that MAC is basically the worst product line for your skin. That might get me some hate mail.

Christa

August 20, 2013 at 6:49 pm

Hey Sarah,
I really like Lancôme genifique eye light pearl. It is a serum that I use for dark circles. It works instantly upon application. It is a lifesaver! Excited to see which concealers you select.

Elizabeth Dolan

So excited to hear the results. I use Boing and like it quite a bit, but am always looking for something even better. I hate my dark circles! Elizabeth

Becky

August 21, 2013 at 9:39 am

I swore by MUFE undereye concealer for about 10 years. It was light and did a good job. I recently discovered IT Cosmetics and their Bye Bye Under Eye, in combination with their Illuminator, and I can’t BELIEVE what a difference it makes in my appearance! This is a must-try combination!

shelly

August 21, 2013 at 11:34 am

I’m still on the search for my perfect concealer too. I find some formulas are great, but there just doesn’t seem to be a color for me (like the Nars one).

It also seems that the Laura Mercier products are getting confused. There are two–Secret Concealer (for under eyes) and Secret Camouflage (much more formulated for hiding blemishes/imperfections as it is very dry).

I’m been interested in the Josie Maran stick one too. I cannot wait to see where your research leads you.

Faith

August 21, 2013 at 12:33 pm

Trish Mcevoy Instant Eye Lift. Awesome stuff. Love it!

Faith

Melissa

August 25, 2013 at 6:07 pm

Being a 36 year old with occasional insomnia, Make Up Forever’s Full Coverage Concealer has become my holy grail. Superb coverage, no creasing, blends beautifully. And bonus, you need such a tee-tiny amount. I’ve been using the same tube daily for at least 8 months!

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So which one did you like best? I’m on the hunt for an under eye concealer. I’ve never worn one before. When I asked the Sephora ladies, they suggested the new Marc Jacobs line and the Estee Lauder concealer. I went with the Estee Lauder, but its too liquidy and doesn’t provide enough coverage, so I’m taking it back! I’d love to know which one worked best for you.

Naomi

October 17, 2013 at 7:49 am

This post has been so helpful as I feel like I am on a never ending search for a great under eyes concealer as I suffer with pigmentation and dark circles.

The colors of Bobbi Brown are brilliant but they don’t last all day and certainly do crease.

Love clinique when having a good day (note rarely!) but Lisa Eldridge is fantastic, she also has used the Dior concealer in three of her videos and once on the red carpet for the model Sophie Dahl. I have swatched in store but there are only three shades, it did feel and look good.

Currently using Mac studio finish which helps with pigmentation because although I am nc20-25 it knocks back the darkness and then I can put something lighter over the top, it does crease but nowhere as near as bad as BB and lasts at lot longer.

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